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Thursday, March 3, 2011

Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies

Did you ever get a chain-letter in the mail about a woman who bought the Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe for an outrageous sum? I'm sure I got two or three! In the 90's with the internet it went around the world again. Here's a post from 1993:

FWD: Free Neiman-Marcus Cookie Recipe

This is a true story... Please forward it to everyone that you can.... You will have to read it to believe it....
My daughter and I had just finished a salad at Neiman-Marcus Cafe in Dallas & decided to have a small dessert. Because both of us are such cookie lovers, we decided to try the "Neiman-Marcus Cookie". It was so excellent that I asked if they would give me the recipe and the waitress said with a small frown "I'm afraid not." Well" I said, "would you let me buy the recipe?"
With a cute smile, she said YES". I asked how much and she responded, "Only two fifty, it's a great deal!" I said with approval, "just add it to my tab".. Thirty days later, I received my VISA statement from Neiman-Marcus and it was $285.00. I looked again and remembered I had only spent $9.95 for two salads and about $20.00 for a scarf. As I glanced at the bottom of the statement, it said, "Cookie Recipe - $250.00". That's outrageous!!!
I called Neiman's Accounting Dept. and told them that the waitress said it was "two-fifty," which clearly does not mean "two hundred and fifty dollars" by any POSSIBLE interpretation of the phrase. Neiman-Marcus refused to budge.. They would not refund my money, because according to them, "What the waitress told you is not our problem. You have already seen the recipe - we absolutely will not refund your money at this point." I explained to her the criminal statutes which govern fraud in Texas. I threatened to refer them to the Better Business Bureau and the State's Attorney General for engaging in fraud. I was basically told, "Do what you want, we dont give a damn, and we're not refunding your money." I waited a moment, thinking of how I could get even,or even try to get any of my money back. I just said, "Okay, you folks got my $250.00, and now I'm going to have $250.00 worth of fun."
I told her that I was going to see to it that every cookie lover in the United States with an e-mail account has a $250.00 cookie recipe from Neiman-Marcus... for free..She replied, "I wish you wouldn't do this" I said, "Well you should have thought of that before you ripped me off", and slammed down the phone on her.. So, here it is!!! Please, please, please pass it on to everyone you can possibly think of. I paid $250.00 dollars for this... I don't want Neiman-Marcus to ever get another penny off of this recipe....

Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla; mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda. Add chocolate chips, Hershey bar and nuts. Roll into balls and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet..Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes 112 cookies.. Have Fun!!!

This is not a joke - this is a true story... Ride free citizens!!!! This isn't some stupid chain letter either.. pass it on.. if you don't, you won't die or get dumped.. you'll just do the world an injustice...
Thanx...

I laughed when my daughter sent this post to me last summer. I think a similar "Mrs. Field's Cookie" copycat post made the rounds as well. The truth is, Neiman Marcus created a real recipe to squelch the "urban myth" and published it, giving us, "the inside-scoop, a chocolate chip cookie without rival."

For the cookie bar version, bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes, till edges are crisp and pull just slightly away from the sides of the pan. Cut into 24 bars.

No question, these are not the best cookie bars and I prefer the "urban myth" cookie recipe above! My guy who likes plainer fair than myself liked them, but I sure miss some crunchy nuts. Believe me when I shout, "My NM bake-off was a success!

So now it's your turn! How do these cookies stack up for you?

Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 cup light brown sugar

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1-3/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cups semi-sweet chips

1-1/2 teaspoon expresso powder

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla for 30 seconds until well combined. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix till combined. Stir in chocolate chips and expresso powder. Using a 1-ounce scoop place cookies on a greased or parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for 20 minutes or 25 minutes for a crispier cookie.

I think I did receive that email or one like it. I didn't save it though, so I need to try your version here. I have my best baker coming home for a break next week. I think she and I will do some baking.

Last week I was on a mission to find the best Oatmeal Cookie in the world.The FoodStuffs (remember the Standard Journal? you know......where you used to live when you froze to death 10 months out of the year?)Well, they featured a cook that shared her "famous" oatmeal cookie recipe. I knew it would make a huge batch cuz it called for 12 cups.What I wasn't prepared for was how AWFUL those cookies were!I didn't know you could ruin cookies.

So, if YOU have a favorite of either kind............please lead me to it!

I remember that also. My husband, before we were married did a Mrs. Field's Chocolate chip cookie recipe contest. His blindfolded and baggie handed brother was the judge and I lost! He has never made another cookie! Joni